- Date
- August 9, 1993, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Portsmouth, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N1844EAeronca 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930809028339A
- Case key
- 38627
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate start procedure which resulted in the airplane taxiing unmanned and its subsequent collision with a building. A factor is the pilot's failure to obtain assistance.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Without assistance, the pilot hand prop started the engine and the airplane taxied unmanned under its own power. The pilot was able to grab the wing strut and redirect the airplane from two trucks and toward a hangar door. The 1946 year model airplane was not equipped with a parking brake. Before he attempted to start the engine, according to the pilot, he chocked one wheel with a wedge of wood. After several attempts, which included a second priming, the engine started with a surge, and the airplane rolled over the single chock.
Factual narrative
On Monday, August 9, 1993, at 0930 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca Champ, N1844E, piloted by Sandis Crabtree was substantially damaged when it struck a hanger door during an unmanned taxi at Portsmouth Regional Airport, Portsmouth, Ohio. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan had not been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91.
According the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector the airplane was not equipped with a parking brake. The FAA Inspector's report stated:
"With the intent to fly, the airmen hand propped his 1946 Aeronca Champ, without properly securing the aircraft and no other person on board, for additional security. The airmen secured the right main landing gear only, with a single wheel chock...When the engine fired and ran, the aircraft jumped the single wheel chock..."
In the NTSB form 6120.1/2 the pilot stated:
"...the main gear was chocked with the provided wood wedge...both magneto switches were...off...[the] throttle was opened and the engine was primed...pulling the propeller through 10-12 times... [the] magneto...placed...on...[after] several attempts...the engine was not firing and the odor of fuel was not present ... [the] magneto switches were placed...off...[the] throttle opened, engine primed and the propeller pulled through...again the throttle was positioned slightly open...[the] magneto ... placed in the on position...on the fourth attempt the engine started with a momentary burst...the airplane...lunged forward over the wood chocks and rolled...toward two parked tractors....I was able to direct the plane...away from the tractors...the airplane... veered too close to the hanger...the left wing tip struck the hanger door...the momentum of the aircraft jerked the wing strut from my hands and caused the plane to pivot...until the propeller ...struck the door...."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1844E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-5411
- Airframe hours
- 4,260
- Engine
- Continental A/65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael Fisher
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 1, 1993 · 20 hours before
- Airport
- PMH · Portsmouth Regional
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 149 total · 50 in this make and model · 118 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HTS, 30 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.